Originally translated from the Thai language.
Lu Rong struggled to suppress the tempest raging beneath his mask of tranquility. His face twitched, and the forced smile he attempted looked more like the baring of teeth from a cornered beast. He decided to play his final card, wielding the weight of 'seniority' in a desperate bid to cow the young man before him into submission.
"Personal attacks are beneath a professional, Mr. Gawin!" Lu Rong barked, though the edge of his voice trembled uncontrollably. "You are merely deflecting to hide your own lack of international experience. You have yet to provide a coherent answer: why should this board gamble the future of CK Group by placing it in the hands of a 'fledgling CEO' like yourself?"
Gawin drew a deep breath, his stillness becoming his most impenetrable armor. He met Lu Rong's gaze with a steadfast resolve, signaling that he had seen through every move on the board.
"Mr. CFO," Gawin began, his voice as smooth as an unruffled lake. "Extensive experience that leads an organization into a dead-end and shatters its credibility across Asia... in my business dictionary, we call that a Strategic Failure."
He let the words sink in, carving a path through the minds of every director present, before adjusting his posture to one of even greater commanding authority.
"I did not come here to sell credibility through hollow words or dusty accolades. I came with a hunger to prove 'New Results'—results guaranteed by the exponential growth of Wonder Package during the five years I have managed it with my own hands."
He snapped his fingers toward the colossal screen, highlighting the hydrogen project's performance graph, which had been bleeding in a long, crimson line of decline for years under the incumbent team.
"My tenure may be brief, but in that short window, I have demonstrated Validated Growth—profit-backed success in a theater of war that has no room for the weak," Gawin's eyes swept across the board with unwavering conviction. "If this board wishes to continue watching red ink stain a failing ledger, then by all means, choose those who claim 'long-standing experience.' But if you desire someone who builds a tangible future, someone who offers transparency and a partnership poised to catapult CK Group into the green... then that person is me."
Gawin's sharp gaze slashed back to Lu Rong, a silent declaration that the era of the old fox had reached its end.
"This venture is a Strategic Alliance designed to bridge global capital networks, plug the leaks created by others, and elevate this hydrogen project to true global leadership. If you wish to see a soaring future for new energy, Wonder Package is ready to be the engine that drives us there with absolute stability."
As his fierce declaration concluded, a triumphant smirk graced Gawin's lips. Slowly, a wave of applause began to ripple through the room. The confidence that had once evaporated returned to the chamber with miraculous force.
Just as Lu Rong opened his mouth to spit out a rebuttal regarding the 'illusory' source of funds...
"That is enough, Mr. Lu Rong."
The resonant, absolute voice of Chairman Li Ming cut through the air. He glanced at his CFO with a look of stern warning and visible disappointment before turning back to Gawin with a gaze that had fundamentally shifted.
"Thank you, Mr. Gawin, for a presentation so bold it has shown us exactly how CK Group might step into a new world," Li Ming rose slowly to his feet. "Board members... I am calling a thirty-minute recess. We must deliberate on this new proposal with the utmost scrutiny."
The moment the order was given, the doors swung open, and the suffocating atmosphere began to dissipate. Gawin turned to lock eyes with Tum. They shared a knowing, subtle smile. The board had been flipped; the axis of power was about to shift permanently.